PR.E,LUDE, T hen it was that the child first spoke to me, the innocent, the clear, in the clear morning, the young voice finding the first sounds of joy, first sounds of grief, of terror, of despair, the weak hand holding mine, that was no stronger, as if for guidance, who was my guide, though younger: So that we walked together, in the cool garden, he that was innocent, but knew it not, who in the thrush's song heard terror and delight, and a wide fear in the wide wave of light, joy and sorrow in the coolness of the shade, strength in my hand, my hand that was afraid: And I the guilty one, alas, who tried to learn new innocence, by giving back my shame into those eyes of laughter, which became guilty and frightened as I learned new joy: alas, alas, that thus the garden way leads the old footstep with the young astray: He into a cloud walking, I into a sun- forgive me, child, that thus we become one: forgive the things that teach us thus to cherish the dread exchange by which we love and perish: forgive us, trees, forgive us, garden path, that gnef buys happiness and love buys wrath. Under the thrush's voice, walking back slowly, the holy innocence became unholy, the younger hand grew older and stronger, the world-stained hand grew fairer and yuunger. together sharing the adulterous union which is the dreadful secret of communion. Now let the murderer hide shameful eyes behind young wings new come from paradise; and let this angel take and hold the knife, bewildered by the murder which Ìs life; thus in the middle noon to come together, stained hand and immaculate feather. C - ONRAD 30 waxwork became a form of journal- ism; the big murders were presented accurately, sumptuously, and promptly, and the Eden Musée was restored to its former cultural importance. As a showman, Gumpertz knew that the people loved morbidness; as a philoso- pher, he believed that it was good for them. He asserts that notorious gun- men have, after contemplating the Snyder-Gray execution scene, become useful citizens. The sermons in wax have reformed killers, but not klepto- maniacs; two six - inch cannonballs from the battlefield of Waterloo were pilfered from the Eden M usée a couple of years ago. For thirty years the Coney Island shows have been Gumpertz' chief amusements in life. He gradually acquired the standing of an unofficial Sovereign of the Island. He is president of the Coney Island Board of Trade and has been the leader of most of the big movements, like the fight to make barkers shut up or tell the truth about their attractions, the fight to change the name of hot dogs to frankfurters, the crusade of bath-house proprietors against the indecency of putting on bathing suits in automobiles, and the . . h " bl ff " campaIgn agaInst t e ow-o or double price of admission to the same sideshow. This summer, however, he will travel around the country with his three big circuses and leave Coney Island in the hands of his lieutenants. -ALVA JOHNSTON (A second story about Mr. Gumpertz will be printed next week) :{l. J; \, ; , " lr ,<.. , "'/.i '}/ :; ", " It' f , , \ li ' N& <\', 11'\ 4 ör: : , ::\, ;, '. ;::::: :::: '::: :;, - . ..... i?' :,;:. Æ:.. ,,:i,(, it ::W - .';:,:; f. rÙ \J "';;;1 , , """;< :.lJ:::::::.. .:;:-::...x-:....v- .:;V"... .... .. " " '. :.-= . : ':" :::: j;Ji/I \]. . l::: .., .:.:):lj ! i j;:- ,:: :. . .::.:.: :' . ..;.': ___ y '.., " " '," ''. ,:,,:..:::::;;:' :': ; t{:i! j;::::::=:;;/::::, ;if ,t;'6'<Ò" iP m, :i(' ,, ::. i .. 1 .:. I:! $', :f ';$:, .........-..;.-..... **.'.?' ÜM:'C"" - ::: :':::.:,,\. .... ........ :,{.:- :..-=;.'..:. ""...-:-. : '::....q::.. ",:, . ", .:......:: ,.. ,",;f .: ..:.;".:.' ". .. . ... . ',.., ',::::::. MAY G, 1a;>:) AIKEN . . ('Oh nobod)J J . touched my cream-cheese- olive-and- nut-on- whole- wheat!"